Tech

China’s pollution crisis inspires smog mask fashion show

How bad has the pollution in China become? Even high-end fashion designers have begun incorporating oxygen masks into their designs.

What might be seen as dramatic flourish on some runways has become a stylish though nonetheless troubling reminder that Beijing's air pollution has become accepted by many as a normal part of daily life in the country.

Presented by designer QIAODAN Yin Peng during Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week, which ended on Sunday, the sports wear line accents its already futuristic looks with a wide array of breathing masks that match the clothing.

But this is no mere "weird trend" from another country, during this month's 34th Beijing International Marathon a number of runners could be seen wearing protective masks to maintain their breathing during the smog-plagued race.

Some of the runners have given up in the 2014 Beijing Marathon due to the serious air pollution in Beijing. pic.twitter.com/GoVpxcPcKH

In fact, the pollution in Beijing has become so embarrassingly oppressive that officials are reportedly scrambling to put extra anti-pollution measures in place ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit set to kick off in the city later this week.

It's unclear whether or not the masks on the models actually work, but at least two masks sported the 3M logo often seen on working oxygen masks. So while these post-apocalyptic looks may seem odd at first glance, in Beijing, these styles could represent the very real future of local fashion.

You can check out all the smog-fighting fashions in the gallery below.

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